High School of Business is a rigorous business administration program for college-bound students. The standards-based course sequence includes college-level learning outcomes, individual assignments, integrated technology, reflection, and a third-party assessment. Successful completion of the program can result in earning college or university credit.
See descriptions below for semester course offerings at each high school in the St. Joseph School District.
Course Offerings: Grades 10
Principles of Business - Principles of Business, a project-based business course, develops student understanding and skills in such areas as business law, economics, financial analysis, human resources management, information management, marketing, operations, and strategic management. Through the use of three projects,
students acquire an understanding and appreciation of the business world. They develop a business analysis report, conduct an environmental scan of the local business community, and investigate business activities. Current technology will be used to acquire information and to complete the projects. Throughout the course, students are presented problem-solving situations for which they must apply academic and critical-thinking skills. Formal reflection is an on-going component of the course.
Business Economics - In Business Economics, a project-based business course, students expand their understanding that businesses are influenced by external factors that are often beyond their control. Consumer spending, government policies, economic conditions, legal issues, and global competition are addressed through practical, current applications to everyday societal and business life. Decision matrices are introduced, and the importance and costs of quality are stressed. Students develop their knowledge and skills in such areas as economics, entrepreneurship, operations, and professional development. Throughout the course, students will be presented with current economic problems for which they are asked to determine solutions, often through the application of decision matrices.
Course Offerings: Grades 11
Principles of Marketing - Principles of Marketing is a project-based business course that develops student understanding and skills in the functional areas of marketing: channel management, marketing-information management, market planning, pricing, product/service management, promotion, and selling. Students acquire an understanding and appreciation of each of the marketing functions and their ethical and legal issues. Decision matrices are employed to aid in market planning.
Principles of Finance - Principles of Finance furthers student understanding of two specific business activities, accounting and finance—that were introduced in an earlier High School of Business course, Principles of Business. Through team activities and a semester-long corporate investment project, students make connections between accounting and finance. Students acquire an understanding of financial statements, calculate financial ratios, and make corporate financial management decisions based on their analysis of that financial data. In addition, students apply the concepts of operating and overhead costs, internal accounting controls, and budgets to their class business. Lastly, cost/benefit analysis is introduced as an element of financial planning and decision-making.
Course Offerings: Grades 12
Principles of Management - Get an up-close look at managing. You’ll learn first-hand how to manage projects and people—and how to do it ethically and legally. This course includes individual and group work as you conquer problems in the different areas of management, such as human resources management, risk management, project management, and knowledge management.
Business Strategies - Here’s where it all comes together. In this course you will run your own business. Using the smarts gained in previous High School of Business courses, you’ll start by writing a real business plan. Then you’ll put that plan to action by opening and operating a business. You will tackle problems real business professionals face, such as interviewing, hiring and supervising staff, keeping financial records, evaluating results, and much more. Along the way you’ll find out how the areas of a company (marketing, finance, management, etc.) work together.